


The Best Present of All

by TimmyJaybird



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, Tim just wants to make Damian happy, holiday fic, there's a baby animal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-25
Updated: 2015-12-25
Packaged: 2018-05-09 03:59:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5524604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TimmyJaybird/pseuds/TimmyJaybird
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Losing Titus had been hard on Damian- and while Tim had no intention of ever replacing the dog, he wanted to help Damian heal. He thought maybe giving him something else to love might be a good first step.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Best Present of All

**Author's Note:**

> I'm just on a holiday fic kick! I felt like I couldn't _not_ write TimDami at least once for the holidays :3

“-tt- Tell me where we are going, Drake.” Damian had his arms folded, was scowling at Tim, who gave him a quick glance, before looking back at the road.

“I told you Damian, it’s a surprise.”

The teen huffed, slouching down in the passenger seat. “We are going to miss dinner.”

“I’ll have you back home in time for dessert,” Tim teased, getting off the highway for the Gotham City exit. “No worries. Dick won’t eat all the cookies. You know Alfred always bakes enough to compensate for him.”

“-tt-” Damian said nothing, glancing away, out towards the window. Tim stole another glance, frowning slightly. Damian hadn’t been himself, lately, Tim knew. Was acting more like the brass child he had outgrown being years ago.

Losing your best friend could do that to a person, Tim knew.

They’d all been sad, to see Titus go. He was a good dog- Tim was rather fond of him, even with his slobbering tendencies. They had known it was coming- he’d slowed down, and Great Danes didn’t boast the longest life spans-

Still, when he finally passed, two months ago, Damian had been _devastated_. Tim had never seen him so broken up about it. It shouldn’t have been shocking, and if Tim really thought on it, it _wasn’t_ , but still-

Seeing Damian cry was jarring.

“So where are we going?” Damian asked again, not looking over at Tim. Tim sighed, smiling fondly at the teen.

“I told you, it’s a surprise. Where would the fun be if I told you?”

“I hate surprises,” Damian mumbled, slouching lower in his seat, but falling into silence for the duration of the drive.

It wasn’t long until Tim was reading the street signs within the city to himself, looking for the right road. He pulled out of the heavy Christmas Eve traffic- everyone bustling about with last minute holiday needs, or hurrying off to be with family and friends. Tim slowed down, glancing past Damian and reading the numbers on the houses, all crammed together, before pulling off to the curb and throwing the car in park.

“What is this?” Damian asked, as Tim unbuckled his seat belt.

“You’ll see in a minute. Just trust me, okay?” Damian sighed, but worked his seat belt off, opening his car door. Tim walked around the car, high-tops crunching on the snow as he hopped up onto the sidewalk, heading for one of the houses. Damian was just climbing the front steps as Tim rang the doorbell. There was a moment of nothing at all, before the lock twisted, and the door opened. A plump middle aged woman was standing there, and offered up a smile. “Hi,” Tim said, as Damian hung back, on the last step. “I’m Tim Drake-”

“Oh the darling who called last week!” She smiled, stepping aside, “Come on in, I’ll show you right to them.” Damian arched a brow, but Tim didn’t bother to look back at first. He tapped his feet to dree his shoes of snow, before stepping inside- and then shooting Damian a look, to make sure he did the same.

The woman shut the door, heading towards the stairs.

“We’ve got them in a room upstairs away from the others,” she said, “But no worries, plenty of socialization! My daughter has been back from college for the past few days and just won’t leave the darlings alone.” She glanced back at at them half way up, smiling at Damian. “Are you a college student, sweetie?”

“Uh,” Damian froze, “Not… exactly.”

Her smile stayed sweet. “It’s okay, it’s not for everyone. Bless her soul she’s a good girl. My only.” They reached the top of the stairs, headed down past one door that sported a slightly torn poster. “They’re right in there. You two go on ahead, and I’ll be downstairs if you need anything at all.” She gave Tim a friendly pat on the shoulder and Damian a smile before heading back towards the stairs.

Once she was down them, Damian was frowning, staring at Tim. “What on Earth is going on?”

“Something you’ll like,” Tim said, carefully opening the door. Damian peeked in, past Tim’s shoulder, and the older heard his breath catch.

A chorus of small yips went up, as a round of puppies waddled and bounded towards the door. Tim slipped in, holding his leg up to keep them at bay so Damian could slide in as well, shutting the door behind him. The moment he did Tim stepped aside, and they five rushed Damian, pushing up on his legs and wagging their little tails.

“What… is going on…” Damian stared down at them for a moment, before taking a few steps away from the door. He got down on his knees, and was rushed again, surrounded by the tiny babies. He reached out, began petting them- and the shock on his face dissolved into a grin.

“Heaven for you,” Tim said with a smile. “That woman, she fosters dogs. Their mom came to her pregnant. She’s been looking for a good home for the puppies.” Damian only nodded, as one of the puppies playfully chewed at his finger. He laughed, reaching out with one hand to gently push it over, rub its belly. “I found her about a week ago.”

Damian nodded again, so distracted Tim was fairly sure he was only hearing every other word. Across the room, laying happily on a large pet bed, the mother was watching.

“I know you miss Titus,” Tim offered, and the mention of the dog’s name got Damian’s attention. “I know this isn’t the same, and nothing is going to _replace_ him. But… well. One of these guys is coming home with us.”

Damian turned, stared up at Tim with wide eyes. And suddenly, he wasn’t nineteen, wasn’t an adult or even a teenager. He was ten again with those big jade eyes and the flush on the tip of his nose that had made him so cute it was _easy_ to forget he could tear someone to pieces. “ _Really_?”

Tim nodded, hands on his hips. “Uh-huh. Whichever one you like.” Damian looked back at the puppies, who were for the most part exploring the room now. They’d rush back and sniff him at times, but for the most part seemed content again to be chasing each other.

One had remained, the one who had originally gnawed on his finger. She was pushing her head against his leg every time he stopped petting her- a pretty _blue_ with just a hint of white on her chest and belly. Damian laughed softly, picked her up and stood up, holding her out. She squirmed a little before relaxing, her little tongue falling out as she looked at him happily. Behind her, her tag was wagging.

Tim smiled, watched as Damian pulled her in, held her against his chest. “How old are they?” he asked, as she squirmed against his chest.

“Nine weeks. I was going to try and find you another Great Dane but… well, there’s a lot of Pitbulls that need homes. And I didn’t want it to seem like a replacement Titus.”

Damian nodded, leaning down and gently kissing the puppy’s head. She gave a little squeak, before nuzzling against Damian. Tim laughed, walking over and reaching out, petting her back.

“We got a winner?”

Damian nodded, both arms firmly around the puppy that looked so content in his arms. “Unless we can take them all home,” he added, and Tim laughed, reaching out to ruffle Damian’s hair.

“Bruce and I agreed on one. But, you know- show him how cute she is and maybe he’ll cave a little.” Tim winked. “The rest of these guys aren’t spoken for yet. So we’ll have to convince him fast.”

Damian’s eyes lit up. “You think he would?” Tim’s heart was expanding over how innocent he seemed- and it felt good, to see Damian smiling again.

“You never know kid.” He tossed his arm around Damian’s shoulders, turning him towards the door. “How about we go downstairs and finish this up so we can get home for dinner? I’m sure this family wants to get to their own celebrating.”

It didn’t take long, and Tim and Damian were back in the car, heading out of Gotham City just as it began to snow. It took all Tim’s self control to keep his eyes on the road and not simply stare at Damian, who had the puppy on his lap. She was sitting quietly, staring out the window.

“She’s going to need a name,” Tim pointed out, and Damian stroked her back.

“I know,” he offered, “I have been thinking, since before we left.”

“Oh?” Tim leaned back a little, stretching his back slightly. “What’re you thinking babybat?”

Damian smiled, as the puppy leaned her front paws on the door, stretching up to better look out the window. “Cassandane.”

Tim quirked up a brow. “Okay, so… maybe enlighten me on it a bit.”

Where there would have one been a retort about Tim’s _ignorance_ , Damian only smiled softly. “She was a Persian Queen. Her name in Persian means _creation of glory_.” Damian pet the small pitbull, smiling to himself.

“Sometimes you impress me,” Tim offered, getting off the highway. Damian’s cheeks tinged a little.

“Mother was adamant that my mind not lag behind my body when it came to knowledge,” he offered up- and this was them, just _talking_ , Tim realized. Something that hadn’t happen since Titus had passed- something that didn’t happen frequently enough before that. “History was always her favorite subject. Learn from the past.” Damian looked down, carefully lifted the puppy up so she was above his nose. She leaned down, little tongue lapping out to lick the tip of it, and Damian _giggled_.

Tim could have driven off the road in that moment.

“We can’t call her Cass,” Tim pointed out, as Damian cradled the puppy to his chest, “I know two women who would hate that. An opposition to me calling her Dane? Because _Cassandane_ is a bit long when I’m yelling at a dog at three AM to come inside so I can go back to bed.”

Damian grinned- and it was playful. “You know full well I will care for her, just as I did Titus.”

Tim snorted. “Tit us wondered into my room from time to time when you were dead to the world after patrol. I don’t doubt she’ll pick up the same habit.” Tim glanced over, smiled at Damian. “Not that I’m complaining.”

Damian nodded. “Dane is fine. I rather like it.” He looked down at the puppy, as the Manor came into view. “What do you think? Is Dane a good name?”

She gave a tiny bark, and Damian was kissing the top of her head again, so affectionately Tim no longer had room in his chest for his heart. He grinned to himself, dipping his head so his hair hid a bit of it, as he pulled up to the manor, throwing the car in park. “You know,” he said, as they both worked their seat belts off, “Maybe someday you can enlighten me a little. I like when you talk.”

Tim blushed a little, felt a bit ridiculous saying it, but Damian only smiled, reaching for his door. “I’d like that,” he admitted, pushing it open, keeping one arm firmly around Dane. Tim smiled, sheepishly, and fumbled with his own door, climbing out. He barely had his door shut as Damian circled the car, stopping in front of him, blocking him from taking even a step towards the Manor.

Tim stared up at him, and Damian fidgeted, the puppy held protectively against his chest with both arms. For a moment, there was silence- and then Damian licked his lips, offered up as the snow began to mix with their hair,

“Thank you.” Tim smiled reached up to ruffle Damian’s hair again.

“Anytime babybat.” His hand trailed down from his hair, gently along his cheek, and Tim lost himself, for a moment. Damian’s cheek was so warm, and the way his jade eyes went soft, the way his lips curled into the faintest of smiles.

“Drake,” he whispered, and Tim dragged his eyes up from his lips- god, he’d been staring, hadn’t he?- to his eyes. Damian leaned in, very slowly, let his lips ghost across Tim’s. Tim felt himself going tense, before he leaned in a bit himself, met Damian’s movement. It was brief, still soft, but when Damian pulled back, Tim’s lips felt warm. “Merry Christmas.”

Tim swallowed, smiled up at Damian and reached out, managed to get his arms around one of his even as he cradled the happy puppy, turning him towards the manor. Tim leaned against him, walking in time with his steps as if he and Damian had the same rhythm, down in their bones.

“Yeah,” Tim offered, as they climbed the few steps, managed to get the door open. In the distance they heard the loud sounds of the family talking over dinner, and Tim, stealing his last chance, turned and leaned up, kissing Damian’s cheek, whispering _Merry Christmas_ into his skin, before they headed towards the voices to introduce the family to their newest member.


End file.
